Abolitionist Park nearing completion

A green space paying tribute to Fitchburg citizens who fought to abolish slavery is taking shape on Snow Street. Sponsor support has made the Abolitionist Park nearly complete, but organizers are looking to the public to help finish the project.

When finished, the Abolitionist Park will stand as a permanent reminder of Fitchburg’s role in one

of the nation’s greatest struggles, helping current and future residents and visitors understand a vital piece of American history.

The Friends of the Fitchburg Abolitionist Park have secured several small grants to get the project this far.

“Too often history is not contextualized, which results in people feeling disconnected from the amazing stories and valuable

lessons that can be learned through the study of community-based history,” said Danette Day, co-chair of the Friends of the Fitchburg Abolitionist Park and a member of the Education Department faculty at Fitchburg State University.

“Ideally, the creation of this Abolitionist Park in Fitchburg will give individuals and groups a place to gather and learn about local citizens who before the Civil War were anti-slavery and created methods to disrupt slavery, and who supported the ratification of the 13th Amendment to

the U.S. Constitution that abolished slavery after the Civil War,” Day said. “Authentic communitybased learning opportunities that take place at the park can increase knowledge about the past, improve current community relationships and motivate future civic engagement.”

Fitchburg’s role in the antislavery movement dates to the 1830s, when city residents participated in local, regional and national efforts, with multiple homes serving as stations or depots on the Underground Railroad.

The Trinitarian Church was established in 1843 as an antislavery church, and the home of Benjamin Farwell Snow Jr. (18131892) was located nearby at Day and Waverly streets.

Snow’s estate was one of Fitchburg’s stations on the Underground Railroad, which provided temporary shelter for escaped slaves making their way to Canada from the 1840s to the1860s.

Several other homes in Fitchburg were stations, and Snow hosted speeches from prominent abolitionists including Frederick

Douglass, Lucy Stone, Sarah and Angelina Grimke, and Wendell Phillips.

To keep this history alive, the Friends of the Fitchburg Abolitionist Park scoured neighborhoods to identify possible lots for a “pocket park.” Fitchburg State University donated a patch of land at 42-50 Snow St. to serve as the park’s future home.